


Soulmates

by cabin12kiddos



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:14:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24675178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cabin12kiddos/pseuds/cabin12kiddos
Summary: Hera hates Annabeth Chase, of this we are sure. But why exactly?
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson
Comments: 3
Kudos: 81





	Soulmates

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this out of spite. It's not good. I am very sorry. But you know what? For anyone that likes the concept, it's there.

Annabeth awoke in a familiar place. She had designed every crevice of the modern Olympus and still, this was her favorite spot. It was a garden, strategically less lavish than the others, fashioned to act as a break in the blinding glitters and golds of the gods’ home, a place away from the noise and parties and brilliant colors found in every other location on the mountain of immortality. It sat high on the summit, so that one - its architect, in particular - could look down on the city, and admire what would be their life’s greatest achievement. 

As she took in the breathtaking view, Annabeth searched for her mother. While the goddess’s home had been under construction, she would often come to the garden to seek her daughter, and enjoy the privilege so few immortal parents were inclined to. 

As her eyes graced the fine cloth of a white chiton, the designer’s hopes soared, but were depleted as she spied the goddess’s skin, a rich brown, like hot chocolate on a winter’s day, accompanied by a flowing mane of ebony that seemed to have been blown by a magical wind. 

Annabeth was well aware of how Aphrodite’s beauty was perceived by mortals: the goddess’s features mimicked those her beholder found beautiful. In her windswept hair and mischievous smile Annabeth named Percy. In her chestnut complexion and effortlessly long eyelashes, she resembled her daughter, Piper. In a scar running down her left eye the demigod saw Luke. 

The goddess of beauty remained silent for a good while, quietly observing her demigod guest from afar. Even in the presence of god, Annabeth Chase was distracted by the wonders of architecture. Usually Aphrodite would find this disrespectful, and smite the quaint mortal who dared to fail in paying her the proper regards. But strangely, she did not feel the urge to end this particular girl’s miserable, limited existence, but instead advise her, as she had Helen, millenia ago. 

“The city is beautiful, is it not?” she stated carefully. The blonde turned toward her, a quiet smile playing across her lips. “I don’t disagree. But I also wouldn’t challenge the goddess of beauty on what is considered to be beautiful. Would you?” Always mind games with this one. In combat, in questing, in love. No one would ever suggest Annabeth Chase had been born by any other than the wisdom goddess. 

Annabeth focused in on the immortal’s eyes. They had no color, no pupil, no characteristics to speak of. Just cold whites of everlasting life. And yet, she noted them flitting from place to place as she spoke, as if confirming Annabeth was her sole audience. 

“Surely you have noticed that you are not among her highness’s favored demigods.” Annabeth gave a small scowl. “Yes, she’s made it quite clear.” She laughed. “I save her ass not once, but  _ two separate _ times, even after all she’s done to me, and still she has it out for me. That’s the motherly figure the mortals pray to, alright.” 

Aphrodite turned her head away from the blonde, her dark hair cascading behind her as she directed her gaze toward her palace, a glittering, pink jewel in the distance. “Do you know why she hates you?” The goddess watched, out of the corner of her eye, as the demigod looked at her. “Of course. I disrespected her, told her that she only liked perfect families, that her domain was a hoax. Unless I pissed her off in some other way before that, I think that’s where our disagreement began.” 

Aphrodite internally laughed. Yes, a “disagreement” was what one could call Hera’s hatred for the daughter of Athena. Oh, how mortals’ blindness amused her. “In fact, you did.” She waited for the demigod to face her, relishing in the power of knowing things others did not. Perhaps Athena was onto something there, when she said “knowledge is power”. 

She rotated her bust, turning to face the revered hero of Olympus. “You wouldn’t remember your naming ceremony, would you? Your half mortal mind does not recall things before a certain age. Well my dear, allow me to enlighten you then.” The goddess delicately lowered herself onto a marble bench, inviting Annabeth to sit beside her. The girl obliged, however carefully, fighting the urge to keep a distance between herself and the immortal. 

“When your mother thinks her children into existence, a great feast is held at her palace, where she christens them with a name and a fraction of her wisdom. The Olympian Queen began her hatred for you there, at your own naming.” Aphrodite paused, waiting for the girl to ask questions. When she silently looked up at her, the goddess continued. “Though much of my domain was given to Eros when I bore him, I am still a goddess of love. Tell me dear, do you understand the concept of soulmates?” 

Annabeth nodded, willing the goddess to continue. “Soulmates are more rare than children of the three eldest gods. When I announce that one half of a pair of soulmates has been born, it is an occasion, Annabeth. And at your naming ceremony, I prophesied a new pair.” Angling her eyes to meet the young blonde’s, Aphrodite gazed into their grey depths. “Her majesty was furious. She’s never liked demigods, they… irk her. She is disgusted that any of her divine family would lie with a lowly mortal.” At this, Annabeth scoffed. “Wow, really feeling the love, step grandma.”

Aphrodite chuckled. “Nonetheless, to think that any bastard offspring of the mighty Olympains, especially that of a child of Zeus’s not born by his queen, would have the honor of having a soulmate was crushing to her. She wished you dead, but your mother would not allow it, and Zeus has always favored his firstborn.” 

Annabeth stared up at the goddess of beauty, a quizzical look in her eyes. “My soulmate… You mean to say-” 

“Look into your heart, dear. You will know, as I knew when I looked into your newly opened eyes on the day you were born.” 

Aphrodite had expected a loving regard in the girl’s expression, but her mortal features turned to anger. “All this time…” she muttered. “All this time and she made our lives hell for  _ what _ ? Because we were destined for each other? Because we didn’t deserve to be  _ alive _ in the first place? WHAT WAS IT?!” She was practically screaming now. 

Aphrodite should have shushed her, but such strong emotions were like nectar to her lips, sweet music to her divine ears. 

When the girl -no,  _ young woman _ \- calmed herself, the goddess spoke. “She is jealous, Annabeth. Just as she was jealous when Helen was fated to love Paris. When Juliet was fated to love Romeo. When Rose was fated to love Jack. She is a jealous goddess stuck in a loveless,  _ eternal _ marriage, and nothing can change that. But that is not why I tell you this. I suspect you are aware of the true reason.” 

Annabeth stared into the face of beauty. As she processed her reality, she once again found herself gazing deeply into the goddess’s eyes. They were no longer an unforgiving shade of white. Instead she found a comforting sea green. She knew those eyes. She loved the man to whom those eyes belonged. And soon, she hoped, those eyes would belong to another. She placed a hand on her stomach, not yet swollen with the life inside. “Are you here to warn me?” 

The goddess looked at her sympathetically. “It is not a warning, Annabeth. It is a message, for the future. There are dark days to come, yes. And they will be painful, yes. And you will feel strife like you have never felt before, yes. But you must keep your head up. For your daughter’s sake, you must be strong.” 

She looked into green eyes. “It’s… it’s a girl?” Aphrodite smiled knowingly. “Remember my words, wisdom’s daughter.” 

Annabeth blinked, finding herself back in her bedroom. As she shook the sluggishness from her mind, she registered the figure beside her, as he snuggled closer. “Baby…” He was muttering in his sleep. 

_ Well, that’s better than drool,  _ she thought. She glanced at the pregnancy test on the bedside table, Aphrodite’s words echoing in her mind.  _ I don’t care what the future holds. We’ll face it together. As a family. _


End file.
